Beat ’em ups are back in full force, and thanks to developers like DotEmu, it seems that they may be here to stay. Today, we revisit five oddities of varying obscurity that you can play on your retro handheld right now. From gritty detective stories to steampunk adventures and mech mayhem, these games offer tons of quarter-munching action with their own distinct twists.
64th Street: A Detective Story
Jaleco, 1991
HLTB: 52 Minutes
We drop our first coin with a pretty run-of-the-mill affair, where the slapdash components actually add up to something more than the sum of their parts. Released only in Japan in 1991, 64th Street: A Detective Story is a boilerplate brawler by Jaleco. You can play as Rick Anderson, a mid-30s private eye, or Allen Tombs, his 19-year-old sidekick with a temper, as they scroll left to right beating up 80s gang members and pirates, for some reason.
As the game progresses, the typical beat-’em-up setting of a grimy city slowly gives way to more steampunk-inspired elements, like a boss battle that takes place on a blimp. As Rick or Allen, you can do some basic combos, grapples, and use rudimentary weapons. The two characters have slightly different fighting styles, but you’d be hard-pressed to find enough of a difference to develop unique playstyles for each.
While 64th Street never saw a console release, it did inspire the Rushing Beat trilogy of SNES games (released under various names in Western markets). Interestingly enough, a sequel to the series is scheduled for release this year by developer City Connection.
Arabian Magic
Taito, 1992
HLTB: 46 Minutes
Taito’s 1992 offering, Arabian Magic, tries to introduce some variety to the genre. Set in the world of Arabian Nights, you play as one of four distinctly different characters in a bizarre quest to save the King, who has been transformed into a monkey, for reasons.
The game has a lot of the fun tropes of this genre, including a vehicle level (in this case, a flying carpet), an elevator level, ridiculously shredded bosses, some light platforming, and a soundtrack that is doing too much. One level’s boss creates a really cool sense of scale by obscuring most of the enemy off-screen during its multiple stages.
Unfortunately, the enemy itself is rather dumb and not particularly fun to battle. Another level is a play on Return Of The Jedi’s Sarlacc Pit. This one was particularly fun, as you could slam-dunk enemies into the creature’s gaping maw.
In place of a special attack or typical power-up, you are able to summon a genie that loosely controls alongside your primary character. (Notably, the game does have power-ups, but for my money, I couldn’t figure out what they did.) On top of that, some stats are permanently upgradeable, giving the game a slight RPG angle.
To add even more depth, the bosses you beat are able to be summoned in place of your genie. As you can imagine, there is more replayability here than in your typical brawler.
While Arabian Magic did not receive any sequels or console ports at the time of release, it was included in ‘Taito Legends‘, the only time it was made available outside of arcades.
Monster Maulers
Konami, 1992
HLTB: 32 Minutes
Monster Maulers is the exact kind of weird I would like to see more of. While you could describe it as a 1v1 fighter, it actually plays more like a beat-’em-up boss rush. Couple that strange recipe with some bonkers enemy design, non-linear progression, and ample references to other Konami games, and there’s a lot to love here.
The plot is relatively straightforward. You play as one of three heroes of the “Ultimate Task Force” on a mission to defeat monsters unleashed on the world by a villainous organization called Happy Droppers. Through the course of 11 battles, you will encounter monsters made of entrails, a giant brain with armor, a robot gorilla, and other nifty creations.
To date, Monster Maulers has never had a port or sequel. Personally, I would love to see some of these ideas make their way into a modern game, but for now, we’ll have to settle for emulation.
B.Rap Boys
1993, Kaneko
HLTB: 46 Minutes
B-Rap Boys is the significantly improved sequel to DJ Boy, a game remembered more for its racial stereotypes than its unique extreme sports meets beat-’em-up gameplay. It features significantly improved combat, a bitchin’ soundtrack, and enough variety in its brief runtime to keep any brawler aficionado’s attention.
In B-Rap Boys, most of the combat takes place in motion, typically on BMX bikes and rollerblades, though there are skateboards and some on-foot segments too. The art style is excellent, exuding early ‘90s attitude with less (but not none) of the awkward stereotyping. It even had original songs by the obscure hip-hop group, “3 Stories High”. While this has never seen a home release, developer Kaneko is still in the publishing business, so never say never!
Armored Warriors
Capcom, 1994
HLTB: 57 Minutes
By October 1994, Capcom were already legends in the genre with the Final Fight series and quarter-munching hits like The Punisher and Cadillacs & Dinosaurs. At the time, Capcom was not a company that left fans waiting for more, and only a few short months after the sensational Alien vs. Predator, Capcom released Armored Warriors for arcades.
Armored Warriors wasn’t a perfect game, but what it lacked in level variety and coherent storytelling, it more than made up for with originality and sheer bad-assery. In Armored Warriors, you play as one of four mechs (or, technically, the mech’s pilot) in a convoluted mess of a non-plot set in an intergalactic conflict.
The four mechs have distinctly different playstyles and are all genuinely fun to play as, each equipped with a unique gun and melee weapon. Enemies are abundant and surprisingly varied, but what really sets this game apart is the deep and seamless customization at your disposal.
See, as you dismember your enemies, their limbs become briefly available to pick up like a traditional power-up. What this means is, in the course of one level, you might replace your mech’s legs with tank tracks, or your cannon with a laser beam, or your claws with a plasma sword. Playing a level of this game is chaos with limbs flying everywhere, and relentless bosses with their own neat power-ups. Additionally, there are multiplayer functions like team-up moves.
While not available on home consoles until Capcom’s 2018 Beat-’em-up Bundle, Armored Warriors’ reputation as an unsung masterpiece has only grown thanks to emulation, and like the other four entries on this list, is absolutely worth your time.
Conclusion
From the urban grime of 64th Street: A Detective Story and the colorful fantasy of Arabian Magic, to the odd ball rushes of boss fights found in Monster Maulers, the fast-paced street action of B.Rap Boys, and the customized-robot shenanigans in Armored Warriors.
These games serve to remind us of the longevity and variety of the beat ’em up genre. I suggest you power-up your favorite handheld (I played these on the Retroid Pocket Mini v2 and the TrimUI Brick) and experience these different brawlers for yourself; they are starving for your emulated quarters!